Catherine Delivers First Fully Welsh Message as Royals Visit Powys for St. David's Day

The Princess of Wales has recorded a video message spoken entirely in Welsh for the first time, shared on Sunday as she and the Prince of Wales marked the run-up to st. david's day. The release follows a mid‑Wales visit earlier this week in which the couple toured community projects and spoke about mothers' mental health.

Video Message Recorded on Windsor Estate

The short video, recorded earlier this week on the Windsor estate and published by Kensington Palace on Sunday, shows both William and Catherine speaking in Welsh. Standing side by side, William opened with: "To everyone in Wales, a very happy St David's Day, " and described Wales as "a beautiful country, with a rich history and wonderful people. " Catherine told viewers that "Wales is very close to our hearts, and we look forward to every visit, " and closed by wishing people "a day full of celebration with family and friends. " William had delivered his first message in Welsh on St David's Day last year.

Powys Visit and The Hanging Gardens

The royal couple travelled to Powys earlier this week, beginning at The Hanging Gardens in Llanidloes, a community project described as focused on resilience and creativity, before visiting an art gallery in Newtown. While at the Llanidloes venue they ordered hot drinks at the café and sat down to chat with people who were making Welsh‑language festival signs, baking cakes and preparing traditional stew for the celebrations.

Mums Matter and Mothers' Mental Health

In Newtown, Catherine met members of Mums Matter, a perinatal service for women experiencing mental health problems linked to early motherhood. Ella Hopkins, 25, who began volunteering with the service after fleeing domestic violence with her 10‑month‑old son Marcus, described Catherine as "absolutely incredible, " saying the princess "got really invested" and asked many questions. Catherine spoke openly about her passion for mothers' mental health during the rainy Wednesday visit and later described community hubs like The Hanging Gardens as "a lifeline to so many people in the community. "

Crowds, Daffodils and Llanidloes Encounters

The couple arrived to cheers from crowds who braved wet weather, many waving Welsh flags and holding bunches of daffodils, the national flower of Wales. Both William and Catherine wore daffodils on their lapels. At the forge they greeted Ollie Jones, 21, and watched him make a hook, and they visited a performing arts space to see schoolchildren perform Welsh songs. They met nursery children aged three and four who were waiting with hand‑drawn signs, and later, after being driven for a short while, the royals stepped out again to meet cheering crowds, spending 25 minutes in heavy rain chatting to well‑wishers, giving high‑fives and hugs and posing for selfies.

St. David's Day Celebrations and the Saint's Legend

The video and the visit were timed ahead of St. David's Day, and events including parades and concerts will be held in villages and towns across Wales on Sunday. What makes this notable is the combination of symbolic gestures — a maiden Welsh video message and visible local engagement — coming together at a moment of national celebration. Little is known about the patron saint himself: legend holds he was born on a clifftop in Pembrokeshire during a violent storm after angels foretold his birth to St Patrick 30 years earlier. Some believe he lived to 100 and died on 1 March 589, a date recognised as the Feast of St David.

During the market visit William sampled a glass of cider and stopped to watch producers in the adjoining market; in the kitchen area the couple saw traditional cawl and Welsh cakes being prepared for the day. William also noticed children holding up a scarf for Aston Villa, the football club he has supported since his school days, quipping, "That's a great way to get my attention. " The couple's engagements combined public celebration, community outreach and a spotlight on maternal mental health in the days leading into the national observance of st. david's day.